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Friday, June 15, 2012

The beginning

When I began my gardening journey almost 3 years ago, this blog did not exist, and I began to search the web for any information I could find about building up the soil and starting a new garden. All I had a was a small garden with a lychee tree in the middle.

I discovered Kitchen Gardeners International and found a wonderful group of very chatty members from all around the globe. I learnt so much, and every morning would sign in to see what new information I could glean from the very clever gardeners who regularly posted tips and answered questions. I learned about heirloom plants, lasagne gardening and things like wilt and soap spray to control bugs. I had found a gardening community!!! I live in a remote area so there are not too many gardeners I can discuss things with over the back fence. I began a blog on site, and then I discovered blogger and created this blog, and nothing has been the same since! I do occasionally go back to KGI, but the format has changed. Like most things in life, there are changes, some good, some bad.
What has not changed is the founder Roger Doiron's commitment to creating kitchen gardens worldwide. Kate from Vegetable Vagabond alerted me to the new program created on KGI called sow it forward. Please check it out and make a donation if you feel so inclined. Here is a short slide show to showcase the marvelous work they do. The garden of hope in Goa India
The thought I was left with after viewing that slideshow is how a little bit of inspiration and help in the beginning inspires you to do more, so much more than you initially thought possible.

This is what the lychee tree looks like now after pruning, and I am going to be busy getting the lovely tropical garden below it back in order. Luckily this is the tropics, and I have the weather on my side, and thanks to all my online gardening friends I know that gardening involves change. The leaves will grow back on my tree healthier and happier, and the gutters will stay clean and free of leaves.

19 comments:

Wow! I am astounded by the shot of your house with just the lychee tree in the middle of the grass! You have made some amazing gardens there. The pruned tree now has a very nice shape, I think they did a good job on it. I hope not too much stuff was crushed under it.

Ouch - that is a prune. But the structure of the tree looks fantastic and I'm sure it will grow full of leaves and fruit within a year.

What a transformation you've made to your garden from that first, bare photo. Pat youself on the back - but don't rest on your laurels, it sounds like you've got a lot of work out there - get goin' girl :-)

Tania,Oh gosh I hope Chrome is not going to start causing problems now... I always feel I should try to learn more about what I do here in blogland. I often fiddle around as if I have a blindfold on. Glad to see you back in action.

Hey your lychee tree is lookin' good after that pruning! Just remember to count which branches from the base up, to grade which ones are qualified to be pruned. You don't want to prune some of the most base branches, but pruning is always necessary to promote good tree growth.

It's amazing just how far your garden has come since your gardening journey began three years ago. I think the gardening blogging world is just wonderful. There's so many fabulous gardens to visit and interesting, supportive gardeners to meet. That Lychee tree will come back better than ever. It's had a great trim back.

Dearest africanaussie,We ask gardener to prune our pine tree and so on once a year (because of his handicap of his legs, he cannot do the job for the tall tree) I always feel that the gardener trimming too much, haha.Every one is saying your lychee tree will be looking wonderful. How wonderful you broaden your world of gardening through blogging♡♡♡Lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako

The Lychee prune job looks great. The initial shock is ugh!! But it'll be fine and you'll be glad you did it. Your lychee is as sacred as our Live Oaks here. I was get nervous when they get pruned....but they look fantastic after it's all said and done. Enjoy!!

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Quotes I enjoy

Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables, they probably get jet-lagged, just like people do - Elizabeth Berry

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:6-7

The secret of happiness is not found in seeking more,

but in developing the capacity to enjoy less

- paraphrased from Socrates quote

“See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.” – Mother Teresa

Nature in all its diversity grants us a glimpse into the heart of God the Father which is nothing but Love.

It is not what you look at that matters, it is what you seeHendry David Thoreau

Making a garden is not a gentle hobby for the elderly,to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole, and once it has done so he will have to acceptthat his life is going to be radically changed. May SartonPlant Dreaming Deep, 1983

When the trees sing,It doesn't really matterIf you know the song, Or if you know the words,Or even if you know the tune.What really matters is knowing ....That the trees are singing at all.Mattie Stepanek, 1990-2004

To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walkor an evening saunter;to be thrilled by the stars at night:to be elated over a bird's nestor a wildflower in spring... these are some of the rewards of the simple life.John Burroughs, 1837-1921

Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder…”– Thoreau

“Exercise is a dirty word. Every time I hear it I wash my mouth out with chocolate.” ~ Charles M. Schulz

You who walkmaybe with troubled thoughts....Come, enter here and restand may the sweet serenityof growing things....and the heavenly peacebe mirrored in thy soul.by Michael Palmer

Gods GardenThe Lord God planted a gardenIn the first white days of the world,And he set there an angel wardenIn a garment of light enfurled.So near to the peace of HeavenThat the hawk might nest with the wren,For there in the cool of the evenGod walked with the first of men.And I dream that these garden closesWith their shade and their sun-flecked sodAnd their lilies and bowers of roses,Were laid by the hand of God.The kiss of the sun for pardon,The song of the birds for mirth, -One is nearer God’s heart in a gardenThan anywhere else on earth.For He broke it for us in a gardenUnder the olive-treesWhere the angel of strength was the wardenAnd the soul of the world found ease.Dorothy Francis Gurney

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.Mary Jean Iron

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.Albert Einstein

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time."~ John Lubbock******************************************************